Sandy Salt - Crusty Sub Guy that has spent way too much time in the desert. And yes my middle name is Angry!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Next Time Around.

The post election wrangling is in full force with the Republicans licking their wounds and trying to figure out what went wrong. The answer is simple and the solution is even easier. They put an old guy up for President against a young slick smooth talking say whatever it takes to get elected guy. America has proven once again that elections are not about issues and facts, but are won on how looks better and tells the people what they want to hear. President-elect Obama had no resume and no hard policy to offer, but what he did have was good looks and the ever popular slogan of Hope and Change. There was never a time during the election that anymore meat was added to that bone and it didn't matter anyway because look at McCain. He gave a lot of people the willies and he was old, plus he is a straight shooter that never shot straight.

If you want to be President it is all about timing and having a pretty smile. Take a look back over the elections for the last say thirty years. Reagan/Carter was bad President verses the actor that promised to make this country strong, winner Reagan. Reagan/Mondale was a going strong President verses Fritz, landslide Reagan. Bush I/Dukakis solid VP verse the goofball riding around in a tank, winner Bush I. Bush I/Clinton weak President verses slick willie, winner Slick Willie. Clinton/Dole popular President verse old war hero, winner Clinton. Bush II/Gore man of the people verse the stiff ass (both reasonably good looking and young), close one Bush II. Bush II/Kerry somewhat popular President verse the old looking dunce, winner Bush II. Obama/McCain young aspirant with no resume verses old war hero, winner Obama.

The history lesson was important because that it points out that message is of little consequence and the really important thing is packaging. Do you really think that Bush and Gore has the same message or that Reagan's was almost perfect as compared to Mondale. If you believe that then I have some land in Florida for sale. The fact is that the American public learned to vote in high school and has never changed their habits. They want someone that looks good and gives them the warm fuzzy they crave. It doesn't matter if they know that the guy can't possibly deliver, but that he or she understands them and feels their pain. You ever wonder why Obama made it out of the primaries ahead of Clinton? The truth is Clinton was not electable because people are scared of her, think wicked witch scary. The Democrats understood that after Kerry they needed a winner and Clinton didn't fit the bill.

As for the Republican side of the house they forgot the sting of Dole and allowed McCain to come out on top. Thompson would have been their best bet to win the election, but for some reason he didn't come to play hard ball. The Republican primaries were all about who is more conservative, which amazes me that McCain actually won out, but that could have been them thinking that they needed a more middle leaning candidate. That would have worked if it would have been someone young and invigorating, but instead you got old and reserved. McCain never had what it took to be President this year and Palin only helped him by providing him conservative votes, but she could never put him over the top of all those high school mentality voters. If she would have ran on her own, it would have been a much closer race and far more legitimate because their records are not that different and it would have been a toss up on good looks. There is one problem with a good looking female candidate in that she alienates other females because she is not only hot, but is doing it all which causes the less so spectacular female to wish evil upon the prom queen.

So Republicans here is what you need to do in 2010 and 2012 if you want to start gaining some seats back. Find good looking people that are willing to say whatever it takes to get elected and then market the hell out of them. The message is the easiest part because all you have to say is lower taxes and smaller government after two years of Democrats running up the bills and taxes. I hate to be so blunt, but that is the world we live in and the dummies that elect our President. If you don't believe me check out the video at "Sleepy Eyed Whiners of the Deep" or check it out on Fox news.

3 comments:

I don't know what republicans will have to do to get elected. All politics is local, and they have to pay attention to the smaller government, lower taxes theme. Newt did a fine job in 1994 articulating that, with his Contract with America.

2010 will be about local issues and you are right about lower taxes and smaller government, but when it comes to the big stage then the Republicans need a hot new face that isn't Palin because she PO's normal woman (Prom Queen hatred). Slick packaging and promoting will go a long way towards returning the Republicans to power. Your example of the Contract with America is a great example of this even though every one knew that there was no way that they could or would deliver on all those wonderful promises.